Robredo: No pressure for open-pit mining

This refers to the news article titled, “Governor bares Robredo pressure to lift open-pit mining ban.” (Inquirer, 10/16/ 11)

I clarified this matter with South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy and he denied saying that I called him regarding the SMI issue. To quote the governor’s text message to the Inquirer reporter, “Gd am. Am reading d news re robredo….D secretary did not call me by cp regarding smi issue. I cannot recall saying that he did. what i can remember was that i was referring to the memo. and our talks before d memo was issued. In d interest of truth and fairness.”

I vehemently deny that I exerted pressure on Governor Pingoy and other provincial officials to strike down a local ordinance that bans open-pit mining in the province. While it is true that the Department of Interior and Local Government wrote Governor Pingoy a memorandum about Ordinance No. 4, s. 2004 of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of South Cotabato, the memorandum merely called for a review/revisit of the ordinance in relation to national laws.

The DILG’s memorandum to Governor Pingoy was in response to the concerns raised by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Finance. The DILG is neither for nor against mining. It is an agency that is tasked to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of national policies especially in local government units.

I understand that a series of consultations between Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI) and the various stakeholders in South Cotabato had already taken place. The DILG did not at all interfere as all stakeholders tried to resolve their differences in order to arrive at a win-win solution.

I hope that this letter would clarify this issue.

—JESSE M. ROBREDO,

secretary,

Department of Interior

and Local Government,

Francisco Gold Condominium 2,

Edsa cor. Mapagmahal Street,

Diliman, Quezon City